For this experiment you will need: four to six cubic centimeters of turf, a 10 by 13-inch piece of shelving board, two 1 by 2-inch furring strips, a catch container, loose soil, water, straws, and plastic cups. Attach one of the furring strips vertically on the upper left-hand side of the shelving board and the other parallel to the first, on the right side of the board. Position the board at a 45-degree angle. Put the turf on one side of the board and a mound of loose soil on the other side. Blow on the soil samples with the straw. Observe the changes in the soil samples. Pour eight ounces of water over each soil sample. Record the differences in erosion between the soil samples.
For this experiment, you need plastic sandwich bags, sand, twist ties, and a 10 by 13-inch piece of shelving board. Set the board at a 45-degree incline. Fill the plastic bags with sand to create sandbags. Arrange the sandbags into your own levee designs. When you have finished your levee, pour water from a pitcher onto the top of the board to see if the levee construction is sound. If the levee does not hold, reconstruct it until it does.
You will need tap water, a clear drinking glass, six to eight washers, two 24-inch pieces of string, an empty medicine bottle big enough to hold the washers inside, one-quarter cup of cooking oil, and a small bowl. Pour tap water into three-quarters of the glass. Put three washers inside the medicine container. Tie the ends of both strings around the top of the bottle. Tie the loose ends of the strings together to make a loop. Put the container into the glass of water, holding it upright with the strings. Add washers to the bottle until the top of the bottle is just underneath the surface of the tap water. Take the container out of the glass, pour out any water, but leave the washers inside. Add the oil to the glass of water. Gently submerge the container with the washers into the glass. Once the container fills, lift it out of the glass and empty its contents into the bowl. Observe the liquid in the bowl. Continue this process until all the oil is removed.
This experiment is best conducted on a sunny day. You will need a clear glass bowl, two thermometers, two clear plastic cups, and tap water. Fill both cups three-quarters with water. Measure and record the temperature of both cups of water. Turn the glass bowl over one of the cups. Leave both cups in a sunny spot for an hour. Measure and record the temperatures again. Graph the differences between the two temperatures. Explain how the results relate to the greenhouse effect.